Guidelines for Preserving Vision

You can have advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy without even knowing it. But, although diabetes is the leading cause of adult-onset blindness, vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy can be prevented.

Joslin Diabetes Center has been on the cutting edge of diabetes-related eye disease prevention since its inception and has set standards across the world for the treatment and care of eyes. At Joslin we have developed clinical guidelines that recommend you take a three-pronged approach to preserving your vision:

1. Maintain excellent A1C levels. 

2. Keep blood pressure and other health factors in check. 

3. Be vigilant in getting eyes checked annually through a dilated eye exam (where the doctor places drops in your eyes) or specially validated photographs of your retinas (Joslin Vision Network).
   

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease for people with diabetes. It occurs when the small blood vessels in the eye are damaged by high levels of glucose in the blood.

Although there are a variety of treatments to treat diabetic retinopathy, the earlier it is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment.

Take charge of your eye health and make sure that an annual eye exam is part of your comprehensive treatment plan.